I love listening to Mike Edelhart's stories. I had to smile many times when I re-listened to this episode before I put it online. This episode is full of wisdom. It's probably the most important episode yet, if you want to understand early stage investing. And as a matter of fact, how to live an incredibly remarkable life, like Mike did it.

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Mike has done and seen so many things that I struggle writing it all down. So I'll focus on the things we talked about on the show. I think it's safe to say that Mike is a true media, tech and startup pioneer.

Mike is currently managing partner at SF/NYC based fund Social Starts, which is the most active moment-of-inception fund in New York and second most active in the Bay Area (150+ investments).

​He organizes the Pivot Conference in New York. Has written 26 books. Was the founding and executive editor at PC Magazine & PC Week. He held various executive positions at Ziff Davis Publishing and many other companies and startups. He was also partner at Redleaf, a VC company and worked at Softbank.

Mike describes himself as part of a group of long standing geeks. He was into PCs when it wasn't cool to be into PCs. He saw the first versions of almost every tech-, PC and product-invention when it all took off. Just like he was among the first people to test and see the first Apple computers (outside of Apple)..

I met Mike a few months ago in Slovenia where I had the privilege to listen to one of his talks. And to be on a panel with him. I immediately wanted to work with/for him. For free! I wanted to know everything he knows.
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But he said no. Well, technically he said I had to come to the US. Which is a soft no for me right now.

A few months later I sent him an e-mail and asked him if he wanted to come on my new podcast. Thankfully he said yes! I guess he couldn't say no a second time..

During the one hour long show we talk about many different things.

We talk about how his fund Social Starts operates and how he and his partners spot people who are able to see and build the future. People like Ben Silbermann, whose idea they invested in when it wasn't even Pinterest, yet.

How the emergence of social and mobile technology changes human behavior. An idea he and his partners like to call the Social Construct, which is the basis for all of their investments.

Why he wrote 26 books and what a tiresome process writing a book is. “It's like being in the state of giving perpetual birth for the entire time you work on it and then you're just exhausted.”

And the things he's most proud of. Like his family. And his six kids..

I feel that this is an episode everybody should listen to. If you've ever listened (or haven't listened) to any of the episodes you shouldn't miss this one. It's an absolute must.

It's full of wisdom. It has a gold nugget or two (or even more) for everyone. No matter what you want to do in your life or are currently doing in your life.

Thanks again for coming on the show Mike! It's always a pleasure catching up with you and
listening to your stories..

Things (definitely) worth checking out:

Social Starts, the early stage, moment-of-inception and series A fund where Mike is a managing partner